Aether's Gemini
by Atmos
Summary: 5 years in the future: A story with an interesting focus on Momo. Inspired by the art of Shadowkira of fanart central .net 11111 22222 33333 44444 55555 66666 77777 88888 99999 00000
1. PART I: Last Sight of the Sky

Special thanks to Shadowkira of fanart-central .net : I would have never came up with his story if it weren't for her artwork.

**Notice**: Each part in the story contains and italicized section describing the nature of the Aether's Gemini and the recent history that relates to it.

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**Part I: Last Sight of the Sky**

The sun shined down on the clouds floating high in the light blue sky. A large six-legged creature surfed over the fluffy white cloudscape. The wide tail of the flying sky bison gently paddled up and down, propelling itself through the air. Only its beating tail and the surrounding winds gave off a rhythmic and soothing sound. Though it may seem this airborne giant would be lumbering through the sky aimlessly, it flew straight to a vital destination. Settled on top of the creature was a large brown saddle which encompassed most of its back.

On the saddle were five individuals each seated apart from each other in a circle. Despite the vast and breath-taking environment around them, their was an ominous and dismal atmosphere lingering within the group. Of the group there was one young man wearing an orange tinted robe and a fat beaded necklace who appeared to be the most calm in the group. The young man sat upright, facing the center with his legs crossed, resting his arms over his knees, palms up. Eyes closed, he breathed steadily. A sheen of sunlight shimmered off his bald head; the arrow tattoo that ran from his forehead to his spine couldn't possibly stand out more.

To his right sat a petite young woman. She wore a green shirt and baggy pants with a beige vest it. She also had fabric bracelets over her each of her wrists and thick brown belt each with the emblem of the Earth Kingdom - a circle with a square in the center. She seemed to be about the same age as her arrowhead companion. Facing the group, she too was sitting with her legs crossed, but her posture was much more loose. She slouched forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her hands folded. Her short hair was very dark. Her dull blue eyes stared in a daze past through her long drooping bangs swaying in the wind. But her gaze was empty and unfocused like always, considering she was blind. She centered to her attention to the sounds around her. The consistent blow of the passing breeze sang a sweet melody in her ears. Unfortunately, it was difficult to enjoy the wind's harmonious tune as it was interrupted by the soft sobs whimpering about to her right.

At the rear end of the saddle a young woman leaned over the edge, her crossed arms laid on the railing of the saddle. Her face was buried in her arms. Her long brown hair twisted into a ponytail. Her clothes were similar to that of her blind friend, though her pants weren't so baggy. The green clothes had always seemed foreign to her compared to the red-based colors of her home nation, not that she was picky. Though it was anything but her wardrobe that was on her mind at the moment. Coughing up several snivels, her sleeves appeared wet of her tears. All she could think of was how her worst nightmare was slowly becoming a reality. A gentle hand massaged her back, in attempt to calm her down.

Another woman sat right beside the distressed girl. She had on an aqua blue outfit, along with a dark necklace bearing a blue pendent. She also had a long ponytail, along with two narrow bangs of hair that looped from the front to the back of her head. A skinny strap wrapped over her shoulder, attached to a brown waterskin. Her deep blue eyes tried to hold back her sadness, though she had a strong and sincere smile. She had to stay strong, especially for her friend. Rubbing her friend's back once more, she said lightly, "Hey…Ty lee." She had hoped that Ty lee would at least turn to her face to her, but she still kept her face hidden.

There was one person there who wanted to comfort Ty lee more than anyone else. But the problem was that it was he who she was deeply upset at. This person sat to the left of the mediating monk with his right leg crossed and his left knee hugged near to his chest. He rested his left elbow on his knee. He wore long brown pants and a small open vest. Within the group, this young man had the most unique traits. Despite his dashing youth, his hair was all white. Even more atypical was his skin tone; he had two. At first one would see his fair skin. But then at a double take one would notice his skin was dark on his palms and under his arms. His skin from his collarbone to the top of his neck was all dark. He also had steaks of dark skin on his face. One on each side of the top of his cheek and another running across his forehead. Public bystanders would usually pass it off in their mind as tattoos, considering he was always seen with his companion and best friend, the Avatar. If only he could be as composed as him at the moment. His face was so plain, his expression so dull, it made bright emerald eyes lose its luster. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be at Ty lee's side, but she couldn't even look at him, let alone bear to be next to him. If it wasn't for Katara's shrewd persuasion, Ty lee wouldn't have even come along. It hurt him so much that he couldn't be next to the one he truly loved, but he had to do what he had to do no matter how much she disapproved. In his head, Ty lee's small snivels where amplified as sobbing bellows. It was enough to actually make him question if he was doing the right thing. But he tried best to ignore it. He glance out to the clouds. The beautiful white clouds, the warm rays of the sun, this would be the last time he would see it all. He suddenly blinked as he noticed the clouds were quixkly rising. The sky bison was descending. They were getting closer.

There was a sixth individual, sitting right on the head of the sky bison, holding the reins tied to its horns. Though he also a young adult, he was the oldest amongst the group. He had long dark hair, with a wolf tail which sprouted from the back of his head. He had a small beard. His eyes were an intense blue. He wore blue pants tucked under his high skin boots and a blue shirt. A necklace of teeth hung around his neck. His face determined and certain, he steered the sky bison through the thick white.

The bison soon made its way out from under the clouds. Below laid a vast ocean blue. The party all grabbed a whiff of the high salty breeze. It was soothing but it didn't last for long. Soon the ocean gusts became mixed with a bitter smell of what some initial thought as rotten eggs. The sulfurous gases became more potent as they came closer to their destination. Finally out in the horizon a cloud of black smoke emerged, then its source; a towering volcano came into view. The fiery mountain stood high over the cerulean surroundings. Belching red and black from its crater peak. It was that very volcano that the group was heading to. At that volcano awaited Ozai himself.

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_The Aether's Gemini is one of the most miraculous treasures on the face of the planet. One of the most powerful fabrications created by the Gods, its existences was lost in ancient legends of mortals. Though it hasn't been completely forgotten. _

_The Aether's Gemini takes a physical form as two hand-sized spheres. They glow and constantly change color, a color always opposite one another. They hover and spin around each other endlessly. Each sphere, containing slightly different properties, houses within the only traces Aether left in the world of the living. Aether is the raw substance that make up the essence of all four elements._

_Anyone in possession of the Aether's Gemini is able to call forth an immense power, a strength that can evenly match that of the Avatar. As a matter of fact it existence relates to Avatar. The Gods had created the Aether's Gemini as a surrogate, a backup. Should the Avatar ever die in the avatar state, terminating the reincarnation cycle, the Aether's Gemini will react instinctively to revive the avatar, choosing another mortal. But the Aether's Gemini is merely a windfall, for it will give all its power to revive the avatar once and only once. _

_Unfortunately the Aether's Gemini had been tampered with. But even more peculiar, the twin spheres had been separated before they were activated, therefore reacted upon two different individuals…_


	2. PART II: Goodbyes

**Part II: Good-byes**

The massive mountain was burning with life. The volcano constantly trembled. Geysers of lava hiccupped in explosions from the summit's glowing crater. Chambers at the volcano's side spewed out currents of hot molten rock, feeding the red rivers that violently gushed down the mountainside. The lava torrents emptied down into the seaside bottom, the source of the blinding steam rising up from around the base. Hovering through the hot gases, the sky bison located a secure spot to land, halfway up the mountain. The bison growled in discomfort of the searing hot aura of the mountain, making daylight in the vast dunelands of the Si Wong seem like cool relief. But the gentle giant bared it just as much as everyone else.

Already most of the group aboard the sky bison began sweating profusing. " Phew!" The blind girl stood up while wiping her forehead. "This sure beats any steam room I've been in." To her disappointment her comment didn't break the long awkward silence. But she still insisted on taking the initiative to break the ice. She walked up to her white-haired companion, who was still sitting, and offered him a hand. "Well, monkey-boy. We're here." He moved his head back from her hand as she didn't realize how close she put her hand out. He grabbed her hand and got himself up. Looking down her he said, "…Thanks, Toph."

Unexpectedly, Toph replied with a quick punch to his shoulder. "Ow! Hey, what was that f-" He was cut off as Toph gave a forceful hug. Her eyes shut, she pressed the side of her face to his chest, "That's for trying to be tougher than me." He smiled as he returned the hug, not noticing a quick tear dropping own from her cheek. He knew she was just trying to keep her resilient composure. Toph usually considered him a pushover, always taunting and teasing him about how he was more of a wuss than 'Twinkle-toes.' Many fo those times he would retort back and denounce her statements but usually failed to prove her wrong. Of course he and Toph had a strong bond. It was him and Toph who would be the first in the group to try something out-going and rebellious. They were partners in crime. And most of the times that he would be himself into trouble, she was always there as his bodyguard.

The hug was brief, as Toph wasn't the type for long good-byes. As she backed away from him, the woman in blue had stepped forward and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. Resting her head over his shoulder, she said, "You are truly, the bravest and most-" He rolled his eyes and whined embarrassingly, "Uh, Katara…" She smiled, "Okay, okay, I won't tickle your modesty." She paused in her hug, then, "I'm going to miss you." He replied calmly, "I'll miss you too, Katara." Not knowing what else to say. Really words couldn't express the gratitude he had for her. Katara was pretty much his older sister, if not a motherly figure. It was Katara who took the liberty in teaching him proper people-manners, especially at the table. And it was Katara who always scolded him (sometimes along with Toph) whenever she caught him getting into mischief. There were even times when he even made her feel "infuriated," though that didn't stop her from always taking care of him. Katara had to also play nurse for him countless times. He had been through many physical accidents before he could fully understand the limitations in his "new-self," breaking bones in every limb. The others always mentioned how lucky he was to know such an experienced healer. Katara was incredibly caring, always looked after him whenever he was ill, always there when he needed her.

Katara loosened her grasp and backed up to give him one last look into his gleaming emerald eyes. He smiled down at her, their faces dripping with sweat. He shifted his gaze from Katara to Ty lee who was still curled up, facing away from everyone else. He bit his lip. The sight of her like that gave him a chill so deep, not even the volcano's sweltering heat managed to prevent him from feeling so cold. Katara followed his gaze onto Ty lee. Her jaws clenched, but she used all the power she had not to explode on Ty lee for her absurdity. Katara came at ease when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Turning to him, her face quickly swapped her irritation with a supportive look. He looked back at Ty lee. He didn't blame her for how she felt, but he didn't blame himself for the decision he had made. He figured best to just give Ty lee her space. He had already said good-bye to her before finding out she was coming along for the ride.

He slouched his head as he turned to the young arrow-headed monk, who was still sitting in meditation, barely breaking a sweat. Wiping his forehead, he stuttered, "Um…uh, Aang, we better go." The monk wasted no time in getting himself up and jumping off the bison's saddle. Following Aang, he flipped off and landed smoothly. Turning to the side he saw the sturdy blue warrior standing next to the creature's face with his arms crossed. He smiled to him as he walked up to the warrior offering his hand. The warrior grabbed his hand and pulled him closely to him a quick one-arm hug and a strong pat on the back. The warrior said, "You really do have the heart of a warrior, my friend." He chuckled in reply, "Heheh, thanks Sokka." In a way, that kind of looked meant a lot to him. Sokka had commonly criticized him for his 'leniency.' Usually in the moment of danger, he would prefer to try to find a way to escape the danger, always fleeing instead of fighting. Though he couldn't help it at most times, considering it was part of his original instincts. But in return it was usually Sokka who was the victim of his pranks. Nonetheless he became Sokka's little brother, especially ever since Aang started to take a more mature attitude as the Avatar. Between him and Sokka, it was always a tough call of who was the corniest with jokes. Sokka was also his main sparring buddy. He learned a few skills on handling weapons while Sokka learned from him his some of his acrobatic styles for fighting. Sokka could always rely on him whenever Sokka came up with a plan. But the most similar trait they shared among each other was their large, broad appetites. Him and Sokka where the equivalent of feeding four to five men.

"Tell Suki I said 'hey' and all." Sokka tipped his head. Suki couldn't come for she was so busy restoring to local villages in the Earth Kingdom. He looked to the left, straight into the eye of the bison. He then walked forward and stood right in front of it. Hugging the beast's face he said, "Well Appa, you take good care of everyone. Okay buddy." Appa growled in reply and open his mouth unleashing his massive tongue, licking him off his feet. He laughed with his arms spread out, saliva dripping off his elbow and finger tips. The bison's slobber actually felt cool in the midst of the volcanic atmosphere. Shaking off his arms he gave Appa a last pat on his forehead, "I'm going to miss you buddy." He had spent many times alone with Appa, (sometimes with Aang) soaring high in the air on his back. He loved spending time in the sky. If there was ever a time when he wanted to lounge around, flying with Appa was always his preference. Maybe it was because it filled in a hole - he did miss his own ability of flight once in a while.

He paced away from Appa, away from the group where Aang stood patiently for him. The monk's gray eyes looked at him with a smile. Under one breath Aang asked him, "Are you ready?" He simply nodded as he then looked up at mountain that they were about to climb. Aang called out to Sokka, "Keep a safe distance from the volcano. I'll give a signal for you come get me." The warrior nodded before climbing up Appa's back. On the saddle, he saw Katara and Toph looking out to him (Toph heard the direction of Aang's voice). He sighed to himself; he couldn't see Ty lee from his distance.

He waved at the girls but called out so Toph could hear, "Good bye!" Not letting the moment drag, he promptly turned to Aang, "Let's go." The Avatar and him were about to scale the steep mountainside when there was a sudden and loud cry, "MOMO!" He stopped at his tracks with gasp and turned around. He saw Ty lee, standing up on the saddle. She jumped down from Appa's back and ran toward him. Momo ran towards Ty lee.

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_Defeated and shamed, Fire Lord Ozai was on the ground and barely managed to hold himself up with one arm…at least it seemed that way. Young Avatar Aang stood over him. In Ozai's mind all he registered from the boy's speech was that he was actually given a chance to live. The Avatar was actually showing him mercy. The ruthless leader predicted that he still had a chance. Quickly, he called out to his loyal daughter, Azula who was in the vicinity battling her exiled brother, Zuko. Escaping her intense clash with the banished prince, she raced to her father's aid, attacking the Avatar. This gave enough time for the Fire Lord to escape the battleground and head into the heart of his domain. In her current state, Azula quickly felled and Avatar Aang, along with Zuko, wasted no time to pursuit Ozai. _

_In the large complex, the Avatar and the fire prince had found the fire lord, but to their surprise, Ozai was in possession of a peculiar artifact. He held in each hand a glowing spherical gems, the Aether's Gemini. Ozai briefly explained to Aang of its properties and before the young Avatar could stop him, Ozai had called forth the awakening of the sphere's power. Out of nowhere, a flying lemur fell down on the fire lords face and attacked. In the process the small creature nabbed one of the stones and flew off. Suddenly the fire lord began to yell in pain as the stone in his hand glowed brighter and brighter. His whole body began to burst into flames. Then the floor and the room around him, caught on fire. The Avatar and Zuko quickly retreated out of the complex but then stopped when they noticed a boy lying unconscious the middle of the hallway. He seemed to be a bit older then Aang, and didn't seem he was from the Fire Nation. Tremors started to shake the ground as explosions boomed in the background. Aang, spared no time to think and grabbed the boy over his shoulders and escaped. The Fire Nation capital soon became a hell on earth as faults opened and lava spewed forth. Soon the whole capital was nothing but a magma filled crater. The Avatar and his company all made it out alive. Ozai and Azula were no where to be found. It was believed that Ozai was killed in the fiery phenomenon, until he showed himself three years later. But to add to the company's astonishment: it was quickly realized that the boy Aang had saved from the capital was there once furry friend, Momo._


	3. PART III: Promise

**Part III: Promise**

Across the black rocky ledge Ty lee and Momo dashed towards each other. At proximity Ty lee reached her hands out forward and Momo caught her in his arms. She sobbed aloud, tucking the side of her face onto his chest. Momo pressed his face over her head and hugged her tightly. Overcoming the frog in her throat she cried out, "Momo! I'm not upset with you. I'm not mad at you. Please don't think I'm mad at you. I'm just…I don't want you to leave me!" Hearing her words, just hearing her voice…feeling her, embracing her; Momo only smiled…the coldness was leaving him, quickly melting away. "Ty lee…" her name slipped off his lips. Ty lee turned her face and looked up to Momo's gleaming emerald eyes. He gazed right back at her, through her tears, staring into her silvery pupils. Making eye contact, it was if the two were reading each other's mind. Ty lee's sporadic breathing came too, but tears still leaked from the side of her eyes, mixed with the sweat on her face.

It was the beginning of the Fire Nation's re-establishment when Ty lee had seen Momo for the first time (as a human). Ty lee was part of the first groups of the Fire Nation to agree in restoring peace among the other nations. At that point, she had already directed her flirtatious impression away from Sokka, finally taking the hint of his relationship with Suki. But instead she aimed her attention at Sokka's charmingly good-looking new friend. She enjoyed teasing Momo to no end. What made it especially amusing was that Momo was exceedingly gullible at the time, still adjusting to human interaction…as another human. But Momo quickly caught on to Ty lee's games, particularly because Momo was the only other person able to match Ty lee's acrobatic nature. From then on it was Ty lee, and Toph to some degree, who had promoted his prankish behavior.

Ty lee had rejoined the entertainment business. The circus she traveled free lanced at a global scale in effort to improve relations among the nations. Of course at that time Fire Nation vagabonds weren't very welcomed in the many provinces of the Earth Kingdom, so the circus had traveled side-by-side with the Avatar. As the Avatar and his companions contended with the hard part - advocating peace and tolerance to the populations - the circus helped lighten the mood, bringing joy, relief, and laughter to the war-frightened villagers, mostly for the first time. Any money collected by the circus was donated to help rebuild and restore towns worldwide.

It was during these travels Ty lee became friends with the Avatar and his companions. She even got along with Katara, who was a bit cautious and aloof of her from the start. But Ty lee became particularly fond of Momo. Momo had traveled close with Aang and the others before he start to get to know Ty lee. Eventually it was proposed to Momo by his friends to put his natural talents to good use and join the circus. Ty lee had insisted that he be her partner in her daring tight rope acts. The two together couldn't have made a better pair of performers. As they traveled around the continent and their show grew in success, their relationship slowly grew more…intimate. Soon it was Momo who initiated the flirting. He then began to invite her to join him in his quiet rides on Appa. One afternoon, it rained. Momo wasn't one to enjoy such gloomy weather. Taking a break from practicing with Ty lee, Momo mumbled irritably about the rain. Ty lee pouted about wanting to see the sunset. It was then that Momo suggested a ride on Appa; they could fly over the rain clouds and catch a glimpse of the sunset. They did so. On the sky bison, they steeply climbed altitude until they pierced through the thick rain clouds, hovering through the now clear and calm sky.

The scene didn't get anymore comforting as they realized that they were not only dripping wet but also shivering with cold from the high and frigid breeze. They started bickering about the cold. They then bickered amongst themselves, arguing over who's fault it was to do this. They both shut up and turned away from each other stubbornly. Just before it was decided to head back, Momo managed to save the moment; glancing at the loaded gear on the back of the saddle, he remembered about the extra blankets that Katara would keep in the bags. Pulling them out he handed one to Ty lee to dry herself. As the two huddled closely for warmth, Ty lee pointed at the falling sun, passing through the western horizon. The white cloudy surroundings faded into a blend of pink and orange. The two gazed at the mystic sunset, and before they knew it, they were staring at each other. Lost in each others eyes, their faces came closer…they kissed.

A brief tremor ran across the volcano's side, but it wasn't enough for Ty lee and Momo to flinch from their gaze. "Momo…" she murmured, "I'm sorry." Ty lee cupped her hands to her bosom and dipped her head down, looking to the side. "I'm being selfish. I…it's just I would rather have the world end and be with you than the world live on…without you." Ty lee felt a palm fold over her hands, and a finger raising her chin up. Momo looked onto her with the same dopey grin, as Ty lee would normally put it. Momo pressed his lips onto hers…Ty lee closed her eyes, squeezing out her last tear. Time had frozen momentarily for the two lovers. In their little bubble it was true happiness. Momo slowly reared his head back and down at Ty lee. He finally said, "We'll be together again. When we see each other again, it'll be forever. I promise you. Just…promise me you'll stay strong." He ran his fingers on the side of her cheek. Ty lee gave a long blink and nodded abruptly. "Okay," she said under her breath, "I promise."

He showed his appreciation with another kiss. Momo then backed away, and turned around. He made his way to the upper end of the ledge, catching up with Aang, who waited for him humbly. Looking at each other without a word, they started to scale the treacherous mountain. Ty lee watched from the distance, standing still. A hand gently cupped over her shoulder, "Come on Ty, we need to move outta here." It was Sokka. She kept her sighted locked on Momo, climbing the sharp cliff. She then saw him turn his face toward her, then back again. One last glimpse of his emerald eyes.

"You're right," Ty lee responded to Sokka. With one hard sniff, she looked up to the warrior, noticing his face dripping in sweat, "Let's go before we all roast," then led the way, pacing back to Appa. She smiled to herself. "I promise."

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_During the recent aftermath of Ozai's defeat, Aang and his friends were left puzzled by the Aether's Gemini. For starters, they didn't know how Momo transformed into a human. All that was known by Aang and Zuko was that Momo had grabbed on of the Aether spheres from Ozai as he activated its power. The sphere itself disappeared when Aang found Momo lying as a human. Even Momo was only able to recall a vague memory of what happened after nabbing the item. All he remembered was thinking of two things: he needed to help Aang and he was also mesmerized by something shiny. But what was even more of a concern was the fate of Ozai. Did Ozai die in his spontaneous combustion…or was he still alive?_

_A year had past and there was no sign of Ozai and there was also no word of whatever happened to Azula. Assuming they were both dead, the four nations lived on reviving the peace in the world. The current world leaders: The Earth King, The Northern Water Tribe chief, and the young Fire lord Zuko made a solemn oath to aid each other in the long recovery of the war. Though the governments of each nation threw away their grudges toward each other, the public wasn't easily swayed. That's where the Avatar stepped in, traveling the globe to help extinguish the strong prejudice held within the populations._

_Over three years have past since Ozai's defeat, and Momo had started experiencing terrible nightmares. He had intense visions of a beastly man made entirely of magma and flames. As time past, his nightmares became worse and more frequent. Aang help counseled Momo's occurrences; one night during Momo's sleep, Aang went in deep mediation with his hand over Momo's forehead. Aang caught a powerful glimpse of Momo's visions. Concerned of the visions as a possible omen, Aang went on a private, spiritual pilgrimage for several months. And it was while Aang was away, Ozai had returned._


	4. PART IV: The Avatar thing

**Part IV: The Avatar-thing**

Momo and Aang were covered in dark soot, climbing the black rock volcano. The fiery red summit lit the way to their destination. In their current situation, climbing was their best option. It was far to dangerous for Appa to fly near the summit amidst its toxic, burning ash and airborne lava. The Avatar didn't take the risk to perform any earthbending on the volcano's unstable surface, with the chance of breaking open a lava vein. And Aang couldn't firebend simply because…he was not permitted. The arrow headed monk led the way with Momo right behind him. The higher they climbed, the steeper the slope became. At this point, the two had to pull themselves up the nearly vertical slope grabbing on to the jagged crevasses cutting their hands on occasion. What made the feat so exhausting was the intolerable high temperatures; streams of lava flowed downhill past duo, bombarding them with waves of heat. Momo cursed at himself for not bringing gloves; his palms and fingers were wet with sweat and blood. It was difficult to keep his hands fastened. Oh what he'd give to be a lemur again, just for the time being. Periodically, Aang looked down under him to make sure Momo was keeping up. Whenever necessary, Aang swung his arm and airbended above him to redirect the fall of any oncoming debris.

Reaching his hand up on a rocky edge, the monk pulling himself up. To his relief he came across a small ridge…large enough to take just a moment's break. Getting himself up on the ridge he turned to the edge to give his friend a hand and boosted him up. The two turned around to lean back on the slope. Momo breathe in deeply but coughed aloud, taking in too much of the sulfur-polluted air. Turning to his side he saw the Monk swaying his arms back in forth in the middle of the air. It took Momo a second to realize that Aang was collecting moisture in the air, gathering it into a small floating stream of water. Once he collected a substantial amount, he guided the stream and formed it into a watery globe, levitating right in front of Momo. Aang offered, "Momo, take some." Momo didn't hesitate and dunked his face into the water, sucking in gulps. It was cool. The hydration gave Momo fresh relief; he gained the stamina to climb another hundred feet. Pulling his head out of the water, he took in a deep breath and again, gave out a terrible cough from inhaling the airborne ash. "Take it easy." Aang said calmly to him while patting his back.

Before Momo could reply, the ground before them began to shake violently. The two braced the side of the wall to prevent from losing balance and falling off the ledge. Suddenly a few meters away from Momo's side, the wall exploded, unleashing a cascade of swearing hot magma. The red torrent continued pouring out at a constant rate. Momo and Aang couldn't do anything but stand their ground and try to withstand the intense raw heat. Finally the lava flow quickly subsided. At the end of the flow, it seemed as some of the lava had went against gravity and flowed backwards, retreating into the mountain. Momo kept still for a moment until Aang gestured, "Look Momo." Ignoring the light burns on his skin, he noticed the lava flow had stopped completely, leaving behind an empty tunnel. He turned to Aang in uncertainty. The monk gave a plain stare at the tunnel entrance, "There's our invitation."

The two sidestepped to the tunnel and climbed in. Surprised, Momo looked ahead to see that the tunnel was completely dark aside from the red glow at the very end. And to add to his amazement, the tunnel was comparatively cool, definitely not naturally-occuring. Looking to Aang he sighed, "Seems Ozai's giving us a little break. I feel so honored," he finished with a mocking tone. "Well then," Aang replied, "lets not be rude." And the two ventured through the long, dark channel. Though the sizzling and gurgling sounds became more distant as they went deeper into the tunnel, the vibrations around them were fierce but brief. But when it settled, the two were able to hear their echoing footsteps. Aang had kept quiet. This entire time Avatar's expression seemed unfazed. It made Momo chuckle to himself, "So Aang, I guess it's too late to try to convince you…again?"

"Oh come on, Momo, you never even had a chance, I'm going with you all the way and there's nothing you say to change it. Besides, Ozai did seem rather content in me tagging along with you." Momo replied with a huff, "Well that didn't mean you had to come." Surprisingly, Momo heard Aang heave a sigh and said softly, "It is…the least I can do." Momo squinted at Aang. No matter how enlightened 'Avatar Aang' had become, Momo could easily sense whenever Aang leaned toward the most silent grief or guilt. Momo paused his pace and put a hand on Aang's shoulder, "Aang," he said sternly, "You know there's nothing you could've done, I mean, to prevent this." Aang replied nonchalantly, "Momo. Don't worry about me." But Momo just went on, "I've only been human for 5 years, but I could still read you as clear as I could when we first met. It's not your fault Ozai became what he became. You were just doing your Avatar-thing when you tried to give Ozai a chance way back when. It's not your fault you weren't around when Ozai had came back. You were doing your Avatar-thing to figure out what was going on. I know you're not beating yourself up over it. But don't even have the slightest wonder that any of this was your fault. You've done nothing but help end the war and make the world happy again."

Momo took in a breath, wiping his hands on his pants. He realized he never took the time to show his true appreciation to his dear friend. Even as a lone lemur, Aang had welcomed him with open arms to be part of such a wonderful family. And when he became human Aang was with him every step of the way. Aang even insisted to go out on a long, boring pilgrimage by himself (doing his Avatar-thing) 'just' to found out what was troubling him. Momo couldn't have ask for a better friend. Momo scratched the back of his head, "Aang, you know…thanks, for everything."

Aang finally turned his face to Momo with a light smile on his face. "Thank you, Momo." The monk then put his hand on Momo's back and his grin widened, "And nice try, I'm 'still' going with you." Momo chuckled and rolled his eyes, "All right, whatever you say tough guy," as the two resumed trekking down the tunnel.

---

_Several weeks had past since Aang had left for his pilgrimage. In the northwestern region of the Earth kingdom the Avatar's companions stayed over night in the town of Cha Huo. It was morning when Katara pointed frantically at the sight of Momo as he ate his late breakfast. She initially thought his clothes were on fire as a white steam rose from his back. But Katara was baffled as to see Momo had started glowing; a white smoky aura was emitting from all over his body. Momo too was confused at what was happening to him. There was a sudden earthquake. Everyone ran outside, out of the buildings. The tremors became worse and worse until the ground burst open with magma engulfing the small house Momo has stayed in. Lava spewed out rapidly. Fire consumed everything it touched. A figure then emerged from the lava spout. It had the shape of a human's upper body yet made entirely of lava and flames. The figure roared, flailed its arms around, and every combustible object in the creature's sight caught aflame. The town was quickly decimated and the figure soon retreated, leaving behind a black crater of solidifying lava._

_The group: Sokka, Katara, Toph, Momo, and Ty lee, fled to nearby villages, along with the recent homeless. Within several hours, Momo began to glow once again and the treacherous fire golem emerged in proximity, burning everything in range. So the group, flew grew distances on Appa to escape from the monster. But in time, Momo's body would let out a distinguishable aura, and the fire golem would again appear. The group quickly figured out that the creature would arrive when Momo started glowing, but what they didn't get right away was that Momo was the sole target. _

_The sphere that transformed Momo into a human, its essence fused within him…within his soul. And the sphere's essence would glow and reveal its location to the possessor of the other sphere. The Fire Golem was in fact the former Fire lord. The sphere that Ozai last held had fused with his soul, exposing the true nature of his element, becoming one with his element. But such overwhelming power, Ozai had no control…not at the start. So his soul wondered within his element, inside the fiery heart of the planet. Overtime, Ozai managed to restore his sanity and overtime began to understand the extent of his power. Finally after three years he was ready to attack._

_Avatar Aang was already gathering this information through his time-consuming travels into the spirit world. He managed to locate the Spirit of the Library, Wan Shi Tong, and pleaded for any information of the Aether's Gemini trying to explain to him the story behind Momo, the fire lord, and the Aether's Gemini . At first Wan Shi Tong hardly considered helping the Avatar after there previous 'convention' at the desert, but with some persuasion of the Sun Spirit himself, Wan Shi Tong agreed under the condition that the Avatar would help recover the destroyed archives of the firebenders. With the agreement made, Wan Shi Tong casually explained to the Aang that the world was in a grave crisis. With the power of the sphere he fused with, Ozai literally became the second God of Fire. Having complete command all fire expect the Sun, Ozai had the power to bring forth a fiery hell on Earth. He could also rob anyone the ability to firebend. But there was catch for a mortal's soul to have such a raw and powerful form. One: he couldn't be separated from his element. Two: the power of his sphere was exponentially decaying and Ozai's soul would eventually pass. He needed a power that could provide him with a stable "shell." It was a power that could only come from the other sphere. And unfortunately Ozai had figured this all out himself._

_Months had past before Aang caught up and reunited with his friends, who had been constantly escaping Ozai's clutches. They discovered that they were able to keep out of Ozai's reach if there kept hidden out in the ocean or the poles. But guilt would catch up to them, for Ozai would only go out of his way to annihilate cities and forests throughout the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, each incident becoming more and more destructive._

_Finally when Aang joined up with the others, both sides had terrible news to share. Aang listened to Katara who explained that the last time they encountered Ozai, he threatened he could cause the world to explode if Momo doesn't surrender himself in five days. The group didn't understand why he wanted Momo, until Aang had filled them in with all the knowledge he had gained in the spirit world. Lastly Aang told the group of one secret about the Aether's Gemini. It was a secret that could save the world. It was a secret that led to Momo's final decision. _


	5. PART V: Different yet Equal

**Part V: Different yet Equal**

Through the pitch black tunnel, Aang and Momo could feel the temperature rising as they reached closer to the end. The smell of sulfur became stronger. They started hear the sloshing and bubbling of molten magma up ahead. Momo already started sweating. But it wasn't really from the rising temperature; he started to get nervous. Fear started tingling in the back of his mind. It wasn't fear for his own sake, it was fear that the situation may not go as planned. He blinked stiffly, "It's going to work," he convinced himself. He glanced at Aang. It was Aang who had told him what was happening, and what could happen. Momo had full confidence and trust in his friend, "If Aang said it's going to work, it'll work." Bringing that point into thought, he easily shrugged off any bits of doubt.

Finally, the two reached the end of the tunnel. Walking out they quickly scanned the area. They were standing on a ledge inside the volcano. A hundred feet above was the summit. Looking down from the edge, Momo and Aang were forced to squint there eyes from the stinging heat pouring up from the round lava lake fifty feet below. The air was worst than the hottest and steamiest jungle. Just before the two started wondered where to go, the volcano shook and a large geyser of lava erupted from the center of the fiery lake.

The geyser began twisting and wobbled upward moving more like a giant serpent. The massive tentacle of lava went straight toward a distant wall horizontally. It's collision fractured the surface of the wall, breaking away large boulders. The two watched in awe, confused of what was happening. They noticed when the lava tentacle smashed into the wall, it slithered about gathering the massive debris from its impact, the boulders stuck onto the winding current. Then another serpent of lava swerved high in the air from below, firing at another direction. It too smashed into the wall and collected the large debris. When both of the large tentacles mixed with stone and magma, they both darted straight toward Momo and Aang. The two braced themselves; Aang shifted into his battle stance while Momo was ready to dash back into the tunnel. But they weren't the target. The two tentacles actually merged into one and its approach decelerated. Eventually the tentacle reached to the edge of the ridge and stopped. In just another moment's time, the tentacle condensed the attached debris. Sizzling loudly it slowly hardened. The giant tentacle of lava was now a stable bridge.

The two looked at each other briefly, both thinking the same thing. Aang was the first to step forward and lead the way over the black and steamy bridge. Making it near the center of the lava lake, they stopped at the bridge's suddenly decline. Momo looked around agitatedly and crossed his arms, "Okay, I'm starting to get annoyed by these games. Where the hell is-" Momo quickly widened his stance to keep balance volcano began to rumble once more. Momo peered to his hands and arms as he started giving off a whitish glowing aura.

A figure emerged from the lava below. Gaining altitude fast the figure's faceless head looked down at Momo and Aang. Its shape, made entirely of molten rock was hominid from the torso up about ten times larger than the average man. The lava on the monster's skin continuously circulated in all different direction, flames lashed about over its shoulder and head.

It faced directly at Momo, "So…you have decided lemur…" a low voice called out with and echoing rumble, "…to surrender yourself to me…how noble." The faceless figure then turned its senses toward the Aang. "The Avatar…I'm so humbled of your presence once more…You will be the first to witness my pinnacle…"

"Alright already!" Momo yelled out to the golem, "Your going to be all evil and take over the world menacingly, we've heard the story before. But you going to have to go through me first!"

Those the golem and no eyes, Momo felt its intense stare, "Go through you?…gladly."

Momo's aura glowed even brighter, and even Ozai started emitting a white luminosity. This was it. This was going to be the end. Momo gave a soft glance to Aang. Aang only watched with hidden anticipation, listening to Momo's last words, "Good-bye Aang."

Their was a high pitched wind that suddenly swept through the area like a giant vacuum. Aang shielded his eyes as Momo's body was lost in the blinding light. The golem's body too became lost in the white radiance. Momentarily the surrounding temperature had dropped significantly. The white light and strong winds lasted for over a minute. Aang kept his eyes shut and face covered until he felt the winds die down and the volcanic heat return.

The monk slowly uncovered his face, scanning his surroundings. The Fire Golem had completely vanished, and Momo was sitting on his knees. "…Momo!" Aang cried out as he approached his friend. Aang reached out for his shoulder, but Momo didn't respond. He just sat there with his head down. "Something's not right," the Avatar pondered to himself, "This wasn't suppose to happen." He called out his name again, "Momo!"

Finally Momo raised his head and turned to make eye contact with the monk. Aang stepped back with a blank expression. Momo smirked. The Avatar quickly ran down the bridge at airbender's speed, telling himself, "I gotta lead him out of here! Only if I want to stand a-" Aang stopped at his tracks when a massive surge of lava burst high in the air, engulfing the tunnel and the other end of the bridge. There was no way out. Not unless he did some quick maneuvering to earthbend out from the summit. Aang turned around. A hand came at him by surprise and grabbed him by his throat. "Where do you think you're going, Avatar?" It was Momo. Aang grabbed the wrist that rung him, but he couldn't break loose. "No." Aang thought, "It's only his body. But it's not Momo."

"Don't leave so soon," Ozai spoke under Momo's voice. He then twisted around and threw Aang down onto the bridge. Aang held himself up, coughing. Suddenly Aang gave out a painful cry as a blast of flame was fired upon his back, singeing away the back of his shirt. His burned skin exposed. Aang looked back at Momo, fire dancing off the palm of his hand. Ozai then said, "There's just so much I want to tell you before I kill you. For one, I want to thank you for all that you've done. I never thought that this could turn out like this." He looked at his arms and hands, examining himself, "I did not know the extent of the Gemini's potential. Not until after I have learned how to handle its power." He returned his gaze back to the Avatar, "But I had figured out that my soul would waste away without power of the second sphere."

Aang was still on his knees, breathing heavily, trying to erasing the intense pain of his burn. But he listened well to Ozai. He managed to respond to Ozai, "So you did know that you would have died soon. That's why you threatened to blow up the planet." Aang looked up to Momo, "So you can take the world down with you." Momo's face smiled, "Well of course Avatar. Very thoughtful of me, wouldn't you agree. I wouldn't leave this world tainted without my rule." He paced closer to Aang, "And now I have fresh young body to begin my mission. But would it end here? Would my reign of enlightenment end with this mortal body? No!" He bent over, now face to face with the monk, "You know the Aether's Gemini holds a part of you, it has your essence. When this body dies, I will then reincarnate into another. And the cycle will continue and ensure my legacy will live on till the end of time. I'm just as immortal as you are, Avatar. Only you do not hold the power of fire anymore. I do. I am fire. And I'll prove my authority over the Sun itself. I now hold the complete force of the Aether's Gemini." He sighed in content.

"And that's where you're wrong Ozai." Aang replied. As gently got to his feet. "You don't hold the total power of the Aether's Gemini. You share it with another." Momo's eyes pierced a gaze onto the monk and replied, "Oh you mean the lemur. Haha. You don't honestly believe that a monkey's soul will be of any adversary."

"The two spheres may have its differences, you may have woven together their powers but their strengths are equal amongst each other. You have just as much power over him as he does over you."

"You dare compare my power over a flying rat. I should be insulted by those words." But the monk didn't listen. For a brief moment he had tuned out his voice and the other sounds around him. Then the arrow tattoo on his forehead began to glow. Aang was entering the Avatar State. Ozai remembered well the glowing tattoos and eyes. He watched as Aang opened his now radiating eyes. Ozai gasped as he was caught off guard; Aang had dashed right towards him and grabbed onto his shoulders. Aang closed his eyes and called out loud, "Momo, don't be intimidated by his presence. Take control of yourself. Fight back. You can-"

Aang was flown back in the air by a sudden blast of fire. Landing on his back he cringed aloud as the rough, jagged surface of the bridge scraped across his tender burned skin. The glow of his tattoos quickly subsided. Aang struggled to lift himself onto his elbows. He saw Momo's body pace toward him with flames at hand. "Enough of this Avatar, I'll kill you now. Then afterwards, I'll seek out every waterbender for your reincarnation. And I'll make sure the Avatar's cycle is broken, then…then…what, what's-" Ozai paused as his body halted and started twitching." His eyes gazed to his hands, he couldn't control his hands. "This…can't be…I'm the…god of fire! Argh!!" Suddenly his body ignited into flames as he fell to his knees. Hands to his head, he screamed, not of pain but of realization of the truth. The body emitted a pasty aura but instead of brightening, the body dissipated within the white mist.

Aang slowly got to his feet, clenching his teeth. He kept slouched as blood oozed down his back. Quietly he stared where Momo was once standing, now gone. Aang just murmured to himself, "Good-bye Momo."

---

_The Aether's Gemini is made up two spheres, each containing slightly different and complex properties, but each have an equal amount of power. Each individual sphere has a general focus in its ability. To simplify the explanation: one sphere provides near limitless strength through ones soul and/or element while the other provides the shell and stability needed to house and sustain such power. In order to utilize the full potential of the Aether's Gemini, not only is the unity of both stones required, but the cooperation of the wills behind each stone. _

_The individual spheres had fused entirely with Momo and Ozai. In turn when both spheres united, their souls shared the same body. If both souls do not share the same motivation or desire, the Aether's Gemini will overload and ultimately self-destruct. The spheres and its power would forever vanish and the souls attached will drift into the spirit world._


End file.
